Sweeten my Bolognese please!

[FireandBrimstone]

I'm a rotten cook but usually manage to make an edible bolognese at least. Not today though... don't Threw together a big pot, pretty much the usual ingredients I use:

• frozen chopped onions
• turkey mince (I don't do red meat)
• 3 x cartons chopped tomatoes with garlic
• Italian seasoning
• hefty glut of red wine

Reduced it down for half an hour on a low heat.

It tastes quite bitter! Definitely not the mellow, tasty, slightly sweet taste that usually results.

How do I save this? Any good ideas?

A spoonful of sugar?

Sundried tomato paste?

Put actual sugar in it, it takes the bitterness out of the tomatoes. Just a spoonful, but add bit by bit and taste in between.

I sometimes add a squirt of ketchup!

Dice some carrot & celery very small, sweat in butter on a low heat until soft and then add that in.

or balsamic vinegar & a bit of sugar

I just put sugar in mine.

did you perhaps not cook the onions for as long as you usually would? They can often add sweetness.

Grate a couple of carrots and a sweet potato into it. Maybe even add a cup of red lentils, half a cup if your folks are fussy.

Sugar and maybe a dash of white wine vinegar or squeezed lemon to lift it. Crumbling an Oxo cube in tends to help with flavour too.....

You must add some olive oil - much more than you think. You also need brown sugar, salt and lemon juice if you have it.
you then need about 4 more hours or ideally a slow cooker for 8-12 hours (or to the next day!). Mash the mix regularly and it will change completely.

Another vote for grated carrots. I can really taste the difference if I leave them out.

Brown sugar

Dark chocolate.. works for chilli!

Baking soda - not much. Google it first! Reduces the acidity. Tomatoes and wine are both acidic so it probably just needs balancing.

A splash of milk can help too.

Sounds crazy but it works

Did you brown the onions first? That does make a difference and needs to be done before chucking the other stuff in too.

This is how I make it:
Onions, celery & carrots & garlic finely chopped (I just shove them through the food processor)sweated off
Add mince & brown
Add tomato purée & tinned tomatoes
Add oregano, pinch of nutmeg, splash of balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper

I then cook it for ages in the oven & may then add pinch of sugar & dash of milk at the end - it's never bitter.

Did you cook any elements separately or add in a particular order OP?
Or did you put everything, frozen or not, into a pan and heat through for 30 minutes? Some idea of the methodology will help to source and fix the issue for next time.

Coca cola.

This^.

Yes big squirt of tomato ketchup!

Ketchup works miracles!

Sugar

And a splash of milk. I was an absolute cynic regarding milk in a ragu for years and decided to try it as a FB cooking page I was on everyone raved about it.
Game changer.

Wow thanks for all the answers, I didn't expect that.

And yes, to those suggesting I didn't cook the onions for long enough first - that's exactly the mistake I have made. 🤦🏻‍♀️ Just wasn't thinking, too much bish bash bosh.

I'll tackle it again tomorrow with a combo of your ideas and yes in future I should probably slow cook it.

Thanks all.

Redcurrant jelly and grated carrots.

Or balsamic - food of the gods.

Your missing ingredient is tomato ketchup. I put a large table spoon in.

It's a game changer.

DH's Italian Nonna used to always swear by tomato ketchup in hers. She was a wonderful cook.